$34 
meant insolence. Men of genius 
are sure to be the objects of envy, 
hatred, and malice in all ages, and 
this great man had his full share 
of their persecution. He was of an 
writable nature, and immediately 
took post for Florence. Five cou- 
riers were immediately dispatched 
to bring him back: they did not 
overtake him ‘till he was out of the 
papal states, and their anthority of 
course useless. ‘They requested him 
to write to the pope, and exempt 
them from blame. Accordingly he 
wrote to this effect; that being 
expelled the anti-chambers of his 
holiness, conscious of not meriting 
the disgrace, he had taken the only 
eourse left him to pursue, consistent 
with the preservation of that cha- 
racter which had rendered him wor- 
thy of his confidence, Neither 
would he return, for if he had been 
worthless to-day, he could be but of 
ylittle value to-morrow, unless by 
the caprice of fortune, which would 
neither be creditable to his hotiness 
nor himself. 
Upon this Julius wrote the fol- 
lowing letter to the government of 
Florence. 
‘¢ Health and apostolic benedic- 
tion to our dearly beloved. Michek 
Angelo, who has left us capricious- 
ly, and without any reason we have 
been able to learn, is now in Fle- 
rence, and remains thcre in fear of 
our displeasure, but against whom 
we have nothing to alledge, as we 
ANNUAL RE 
GiISTER, 1806. 
know the humour of men of his 
stamp. However, that he may lay 
aside all suspicion, we invite him 
with the same aflection that you 
bear towards us; and, if he will 
return, promise, on our part, he 
shall be neither touched nor offend- 
ed, and be reinstated in the same 
apostolic grace he enjoyed before 
he left us. Rome, the 8th of July, 
1506, Sd year of our pontificate, *” 
From the temper of this letter, 
Soderini concluded that the affair 
would soon be forgotten, and Mi-— 
chel Angelo chose to remain at 
Florence. 
more decisive tone, and the Gonfa- 
lonieri then said to him, ‘‘ You 
have done by the pope what the 
king of France would not have pre- 
sumed to do, he must be no longer 
trifled with; we cannot make war 
against his holiness to risk the safety 
of the state, therefore his will must 
be obeyed.” 
before this had proposed to Michel 
Angelo, to go to Turkey, and enter 
into the sultan’s service, to build a 
bridge between Constantinople and 
Pera. This offer he would now have 
accepted, but for the friendly and 
earnest dissuasions of Soderini. If a _ 
Turkish sultan could have been trust- 
ed, it is perhaps to be regretted that 
the opportunity was lost of attempt- 
ing a greater work of architecture 
than ever yet has been achieved. He 
was, however, persuaded to return 
to the pope, then at Bologna ; 
where 
* Julius pp. 11. Dilectis filiis Prioribus libertatis, ef Vexillifero justitie populi 
Florentini. | 
Dilecti filii, salutem et apostolicam 
qui, 
benedictionem. Michael Angelus sculptor, 
a nobis leviter. et inconsulte discessit, redire, ut accepimus, ad nos timet, cul nos 
non succensemus 5 noyvimus hujasmodi homimuim ingenia. Ut tamen omnem suspi- 
sionem deponat, devotionem vestram hortamur, velit ei nomine nostro promittere, 
quod s) ad nos redierit, illasus inviolatusque erit, etin ea gratia apostoliea nos habi- 
torgs, qua habebatur, ante discessum. 
atum Reme 8 Juhi 1506 Pontificatus nostri HI. 
Some Franceseans 
A second followed, in a — 
